- Date
- March 22, 2008, 20:00 local (Mar 23, 2008, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fairbanks, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N180JPCessna 180
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20080322013949A
- Case key
- 67823
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and inadequate compensation for wind conditions during a go-around. Contributing to the accident were wind gusts and a crosswind.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the wheel-ski equipped airplane related that he was attempting to land to the east with a variable wind, gusting from 15 to 35 knots. He elected to do a go-around as he approached touchdown due to a strong gust of wind from the south which altered the desired landing path. During the go-around, the pilot said the airplane's left main landing gear struck a parked and unoccupied truck on the side of the runway. The impact knocked the left main landing gear out of the gear box, and when the airplane landed, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing lift strut. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the wheel-ski equipped airplane related that he was attempting to land to the east with a variable wind, gusting from 15 to 35 knots. He elected to do a go-around as he approached touchdown due to a strong gust of wind from the south. During the go-around, the pilot said the airplane's left main landing gear struck a parked and unoccupied truck. The impact knocked the left main landing gear out of the gear box, and when the airplane landed, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing lift strut. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N180JP
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31630
- Engine
- Continental O-470, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Conor P. McManamin
- Registered owner
- John McManamin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Z41 · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- AK13 · Chena Hot Springs, runway 080, 3,500 × ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 1, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 319 total · 181 in this make and model · 252 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Variable at 15 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.